Can Tsitsipas upend Djoker’s monopoly?
As Novak Djokovic steps on court to face Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's championship match in Melbourne, one specific statistic from his career may well put him at ease – nine Australian Open finals played, nine Australian Open finals won.
To increase that record to 10 from 10, Djokovic will look to pull through any difficult moments as calmly as he did against Tommy Paul in Friday's semifinal, where he recovered from losing four games in a row in the opening set to seal a 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
"I'm of course very satisfied and pleased to be in another Grand Slam final," said Djokovic after riding out his rough patch to reach his 10th championship match at the hard-court major. "I mean, this is exactly what I've imagined and hoped that would happen when I came to Australia, with the intention to be in a position to fight for another Australian Open trophy.
"I think that the experience of being in this particular situation and circumstances before helps. I also think the fact that I never lost the Australian Open finals definitely serves as a great confidence booster prior to Sunday."
With a perfect record in Australian Open finals, Djokovic's confidence will be soaring – more so as he bids to equal Rafael Nadal's Grand Slam record and return to world number one.
While Djokovic is into a record 33rd Grand Slam final and eyeing to equal Nadal's 22 major crowns, the Greek third seed will play only his second.
Adding spice to the showdown, the winner will become world number one, dethroning Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.
That is added incentive for Djokovic, who last held the top ranking in June.
"Winning Grand Slams and being the number one in the world are probably the two biggest peaks that you can climb as a professional tennis player," the 35-year-old said.
"I know his [Tsitsipas] game pretty well. He knows my game well. I know what's ahead of me, and I'm excited. Fortunately for me at this stage of my career, because of all the achievements, it is always basically every match or every tournament there is always something on the line, particularly when the Grand Slams are played," Djokovic said.
In Tsitsipas's only previous Grand Slam final, at Roland Garros in 2021, he fell to Djokovic in five sets after holding a 2-0 lead.
But the 24-year-old believes he has matured as a player and a person and is now better suited to the big stage in his quest to become the first Greek player to win a Grand Slam title.
"I couldn't be more ready for this moment," said Tsitsipas, the youngest man to reach the Melbourne final since a 23-year-old Djokovic in 2011.
"This is a very humbling opportunity for me, being in the finals here means a lot. Having started here as one of my first junior Grand Slams and being now in the finals of the men's event is as important as my very first steps that I took on the tennis court. I'm going to grasp this opportunity."